How to Carve Wood

Wood carving is an art, that was developed in Italy and France in the middle ages, where various replicas of Christian believes were carved using wood, mainly the oak wood. Later on, wood carving spread all over the world. Various types of wood carving was developed, using various techniques of woodworking. Various techniques of wood carving include chip carving, Scandinavian flat plane carving, relief carving, whittling, love spoon, treen and caricature carving. The basic tools used to carve wood include a carving knife, gouge, chisel, sharpening tools, veiner and V-tool. Many people seem to enjoy and cultivate wood carving and craft as their prime hobby. Wood carvings speak the language of a personal expression and aesthetic sensibilities.

Wood carving is a difficult job until you get used to it. It is an art which is mastered slowly and gradually with a tiny step at a time. Once you learn the basic technique of carving the wood, then applying it on more complex techniques is a relatively easy job. Till you achieve mastery over the art of wood carving, it is best to keep on polishing it by turning small wooden pieces into small figurines so that you can try your hands over big projects like wooden toys and wood furniture. Here are some easy and basic instructions about how to carve wood.

Wood Carving Instructions
An amateur must choose a soft wood to start learning how to carve wood. Soft woods like butternut, aspen and basswood are perfect for the cause. Carving tools for the beginner should be an utility knife, wood chisel and a pick. Before you start to carve wood, make sure that all the tools are sharp enough. Create the design on the wood by using a pencil. You can also transfer the desired shape of design using a granite paper. Do not create any complex design, try simple shapes like flowers with broad petals and four leaf clover. As a beginner you can also try hands over straight lines and curves.

    * Start from the topmost tip of your design by using a small utility knife. Try to start carving with the help of an x-acto knife and then gradually upgrade the size as well as strength of the knives. Chisel is used to carve deep into the wooden object.
    * Mark the outline of the design with a sharp knife and make cuts using the chisel at the tip. Use a hammer to enforce the chisel into the wood. Make sure that the hammer is light and not much forceful otherwise it will damage the sides of the design.
    * Blow away the debris that is caused by the chisel and observe the carving time and again. Use a tack cloth piece to clean the wood and a sand paper to clean the sharp edges or splinters.
    * For fine details of the design, apply pressure by pressing your palm against the handle of the chisel. Keep on improving the carvings until you get the perfect shape.

How to Carve Wood Spirits
Wood spirits are the blend of the human features and natural elements. Wood spirits are believed by the American Indians. They are made to protect the human beings from the possible dangers of wood. Here are some easy instructions about carving wood spirits.

    * Get a quality wooden stick, like a walking stick or the hiking stick. Take a thick stick with a wide surface available to make wood carvings.
    * Decide a good figurine of the nature that you would like to carve on the wood and create a rough sketch on the stick. Fix the stick on a firm surface, which will work as a support system of your stick, this will make wood carving more easy.

Apply the given instructions and make creative wood spirits and sculptures. Take adequate safety measures to avoid any injuries that might be an obstacle into your newfound hobby. Always use protective goggles and hand gloves for protection. After you finish your first woodwork, make sure you cover it with a good quality stain which will protect your piece of art. You can think of adding any of the natural oils like linseed or walnut oil on the carved wood. Do let me know how did these instructions helped you in your new hobby.